The last time we looked briefly at verses thirty-one through forty, so tonight I want us to look back at them for a moment before we along to the next verses, so that we will understand what Jesus is talking about.

John 8:31-40 31. Then said Jesus to those Jews which believed on him, If ye continue in my word, then are ye my disciples indeed; 32. And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free. 33. They answered him, We be Abraham's seed, and were never in bondage to any man: how sayest thou, Ye shall be made free? 34. Jesus answered them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Whosoever committeth sin is the servant of sin. 35. And the servant abideth not in the house for ever: but the Son abideth ever. 36. If the Son therefore shall make you free, ye shall be free indeed. 37. I know that ye are Abraham's seed; but ye seek to kill me, because my word hath no place in you. 38. I speak that which I have seen with my Father: and ye do that which ye have seen with your father. 39. They answered and said unto him, Abraham is our father. Jesus saith unto them, If ye were Abraham's children, ye would do the works of Abraham. 40. But now ye seek to kill me, a man that hath told you the truth, which I have heard of God: this did not Abraham.

Verses thirty-one and thirty-two [A] In theses two verses we find a very important concept

[B] Jesus was speaking to the people present who believed in him and said “If you continue in my word, then you are my disciples indeed”

[C] Questions [1] First of all, How do you define the word disciple? [a] A Disciple is defined as one who learns [b] They are followers of a particular person or a particular thing, and who strives to learn all they can from said person [2] The concept that Jesus lay down for us in these two verses is what? [a] To be a disciple of Jesus, one must continue in his word [3] What does it mean to continue in his word? [a] Hear it, Head it, and follow the teaching found in it.

Verses thirty-four through thirty-six [A] Whosoever commmitteth sin is a servant of sin [1] Why is this the case?

[B] If the son sets you free, you are free indeed? [1] Who is the son, that’s implied here? [a] Jesus [2] How does Jesus set us free from sin? [a] He purchased our freedom through his death on the cross [b] His death freed us from the bondage of sin, and we are no longer under the curse of sin [c] Christ suffered for us, so that we could be free [3] What does it mean to be set free?

Verses thirty-seven through forty [A] These verses speak of how the Jews were breaking the laws of Moses which they claimed keep, by desiring to kill Jesus, a fact that they denied, yet Jesus knew.

John 8:41-44 41. Ye do the deeds of your father. Then said they to him, We be not born of fornication; we have one Father, even God. 42. Jesus said unto them, If God were your Father, ye would love me: for I proceeded forth and came from God; neither came I of myself, but he sent me. 43. Why do ye not understand my speech? even because ye cannot hear my word. 44. Ye are of your father the devil, and the lusts of your father ye will do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and abode not in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaketh a lie, he speaketh of his own: for he is a liar, and the father of it.

[A] In the proceeding verses, the Jews made a boast that they were the children of Abraham: [1] By saying this, they were implying that they were the children of God.

Verse forty-one [A] Jesus begins by saying “Ye do the deeds of your father.” [1] Who was he referring to as being their father [2] Why did he make this statement?

[B] They said we have one Father, even God. [1] This statement, Jesus disproves telling them, if God were their Father, they would love him, [2] Why is this the case? [3] Why would one love Jesus, is God is their father?

Verse forty-three [A] Jesus then states, if God were their father, they would understand what he was talking about, because he was speaking from God;

[B] What did Jesus mean in verse forty-thee when he said they could not hear his speech? [1] He did not mean that they were deaf [2] He meant that they could not understand or perceive it.

Verse forty-four [A] Ye are of your father the Devil [1] What did Jesus mean with this statement? [2] What did they do that made him say such a thing?

[B] Think of what has been happening [1] They wanted to kill Jess [2] They refused to believe - even though he spoke only the words God the Father told him to speak [c] They were filled with malice towards him.

These verses show us a very important doctrine [A] Unless one loves Christ, they cannot justly pretend any interest in God

[B] They must love Christ, because he is the express image of his Father [1] Through Christ we hear and receive his doctrine, [2] Through Christ we know of God the Father, and see him as he is, Jesus said, I and the Father are one,

[C] Any religion which does not promote a love for Christ, and a worship of him, is a false beligion, because Christ is the door and the way to the Father

From the comments of Christ, we can determine that those who might persecute us for our beliefs, and for believing in Christ, as the children of Satan as well [A] Men's sinful practices prove them to be Satan's children, when they let their profession be what it will. By the temper of their minds, and in the actions of their lives, they choose to conform to Satan's disposition, and comply to his temptations. When they ado thus, they are certainly his children, irregardless of what claims they make of being a child of God.

[B] The devil has the relationship of a father to the wicked, but his fatherhood doesn’t proceed from the act of the father, but from the children; for the devil doesn’t make wicked men his children by begetting them: instead, they make the devil their father, by imitating of him.

John 8:45-50 45. And because I tell you the truth, ye believe me not. 46. Which of you convinceth me of sin? And if I say the truth, why do ye not believe me? 47. He that is of God heareth God's words: ye therefore hear them not, because ye are not of God. 48. Then answered the Jews, and said unto him, Say we not well that thou art a Samaritan, and hast a devil? 49. Jesus answered, I have not a devil; but I honour my Father, and ye do dishonour me. 50. And I seek not mine own glory: there is one that seeketh and judgeth.

Verse forty-five [A] Because I tell you the truth, you believe me not [1] Is not this one of the many problems we face today, [2] Does not humankind believe a lie before they believe what we tell them about Jesus and the things of God [a] For instance - how is it easier to believe that the earth and everything in it just happened, instead of believing that Almighty God made it? [b] Why is it easier for people to believe that the earth is 6 Billion years old, instead of believing the bible which tells us it is 6,000 years old? [3] Why is it so much easier for mankind to believe that the sea shells, and the fossilized remains of sea animals which are found on the highest mountains in the world come from evolution instead of believing that they came from the Flood? [4] Why is mankind so much more willing to believe in what a scientist says, instead of believing what the bible says?

[B] Are we any better then Jesus?

[C] Did not Jesus have a hard time getting people to believe what his father told him to tell them?

[D] This is the same problem we are faced with, for the biblical accounts of creation and so on, are first hand accounts that our father in heaven gave us, and we have a problem getting people to believe us as well.

Verse forty-six [A] Constantly the Jews have been trying to find fault in Jesus. He was accused of being a devil, of being a blasphemer and many other things.

[B] His question was, what did I lie about? What sin did I commit? Everything I told you was the truth.

Verse forty-seven[A] This too is very good advice for you and I to understand. [1] Those who are of God, hears his words [a] In other words, when someone is truly a Child of God, they will believe the things God says [b] Since the bible is God’s Holy Word, anyone who claims that they are a child of God, or a Christian and does not believe what the bible says, is not of God

[B] Then Jesus goes on to tell the Jews, you don’t heart the words, therefore you are not God’s [1] This Brothers and Sisters, is a powerful statement, and one that we all need to comprehend [2] Anyone who refused to listen to what God has to say, anyone who refuses to obey his teaching and commandments, is not God’s. [3] If you are not God’s what does that make you?

Verse forty-eight [A] Then the Jews began to accuse him of being a Samaritan and having a devil

Verse forty-nine[A] What was Jesus’ reply to them [1] I don’t have a devil [2] I am only seeking to do the will of my father

[B] Why is it, when someone gets the best of another, the one bested starts calling them names?

Verse fifty [A] I seek not mine own glory: there is one that seeketh and judgeth.

[B] Did Jesus ever seek any Glory while he was here on earth? [1] Why or why not?

[C] Why is it that he refers to that seeketh glory [1] God

[D] Why does God seek Glory

[E] Who is it that he refers to here that judgeth [1] Again God

[F] But is it not Jesus who will be our Judge? [1] God was judging those to whom Jesus was speaking [2] Christ was doing the will of the Father, and God was watching to see whom would obey his commands through Christ

John 8:51-55 51. Verily, verily, I say unto you, If a man keep my saying, he shall never see death. 52. Then said the Jews unto him, Now we know that thou hast a devil. Abraham is dead, and the prophets; and thou sayest, If a man keep my saying, he shall never taste of death. 53. Art thou greater than our father Abraham, which is dead? and the prophets are dead: whom makest thou thyself? 54. Jesus answered, If I honour myself, my honour is nothing: it is my Father that honoureth me; of whom ye say, that he is your God: 55. Yet ye have not known him; but I know him: and if I should say, I know him not, I shall be a liar like unto you: but I know him, and keep his saying.

Verse fifty-one [A] How can it be that a person who keeps Jesus sayings will not see death?

[B] Does not everyone die?

[C] What was Jesus speaking of?

Verses fifty-two and fifty-three [A] It’s hard for you and I to understand what Jesus was speaking about, so I can understand why the Jews were confused. [1] Abraham died [2] The prophets of old died [3] How could he say a person would not die if they obeyed his commandments?

[B] Then they ask him who in the world he thought he was - whom maketh thou thyself?

Verse fifty-four [A] Jesus said, if I honor myself, I honor nothing [1] What did he mean with this statement? [2] How does on honor themselves [3] Why is it wrong to honor yourself

[B] Jesus then said that his father honoreth him, [1] Should we strive to live so that our father in heaven honors us? [2] How can we do this?

Verse fifty-five [A] Even though the Jews claimed to know God, Jesus said that they did no know him

[B] I wonder how many people today claim that they are a Christian yet they do not know Christ?

[C] I wonder how many people carry the name of Jesus, Christian - who is actually following the Devil?

[D] Even Jesus said that he knew the Father and kept his sayings, [1] Does this not tell us that anyone who does not keep his sayings, does not know him? [2] Does not the same hold true for the son as well?